I have thought long and hard about writing this, I am not a great fan of airing my personal affairs in public, especially on Facebook, but Kathy Martin felt the need to publicly put the record straight about her departure from our website.
Two wonderful people who were the founders of the Facebook page Frozen Cypriots have been back in their homeland discovering more of our Cyprus Heritage and in my Vox Pop show I went with my camera team to the Buyuk Han in Lefkosa to meet them and a fascinating group of people who also refer to themselves as being the “Frozen Cypriots”.
Two wonderful people who were the founders of the Facebook page Frozen Cypriots have been back in their homeland discovering more of our Cyprus Heritage and in my Vox Pop show I went with my camera team to the Buyuk Han in Lefkosa to meet them and a fascinating group of people who also refer to themselves as being the “Frozen Cypriots”.
Former US Ambassador to South Cyprus John Koenig has stated that the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades is responsible for the collapse of the negotiations.
Koenig shared a message from his Facebook account saying “There is plenty of blame to share around, but one person stands out as the cause of the impasse and collapse: This is Nikos Anastasiades. He never was the courageous, committed leader he claimed to be – not even in 2004 – but instead a self-absorbed small -time operator with grand ambitions and no spine.
“Anastasiades owns this failure but many others will pay the price. (Maybe I should write that book I threatened to write when I left Nicosia!)”
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
To read more news and information from the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please click here
Pictures shown are courtesy of the TRNC Public Information Office Facebook page.
From the 5th of this month (May 2017), old £5.00 notes will not be accepted when making purchases, or exchanging them into local currency. You have only until September this year, to cash them in at banks in the UK. Old £10.00 notes are also being phased out later this year, so watch this space!!
New TRNC Vehicle Number plates
You may have noticed, number plates on hire vehicles have a white background on both front and rear number plates. This requirement is to become mandatory on all registered vehicles sometime soon. One or two people have already met the new requirement and have had them fitted.
Repatriation of deceased persons to the UK
Some people prefer to have the body of the deceased family taken back for burial or cremation in the UK. This arrangement also helps friends and relatives paying their last respects who may not be able to travel to the TRNC.
The usual method is via the body flying out from the South. Well here is an alternative! By contacting Niazi Gursoy 0n 0392 225 3917 -71 or e-mail her on niyazi@gursoyandsons.com you can speak to her and discuss your requirements which I am sure will meet your every need on the matter. The charge covers all the legal requirements and they are very professional and sympathetic.
This company was recommended to me because someone had the need of their services. The cost of flying the body from Ercan to Glasgow cost is £2.500 stg, which is less than taking the body though the Southern border and flying from Larnaca airport.
The big advantage is the Authorities in the UK do not need a post-mortem certificate unless foul play or suspicious causes of death are involved, unlike the authorities in the South.
TRNC Road Tax
Confusion is abound regarding whether you need to tax your vehicle, or not. There are many, many stories from every quarter of the TRNC, not least the Authorities themselves.
The release of information was somewhat ill conceived by them with little thought into how it was to be introduced.
Carry on as normal and tax your vehicle as before and wait for the next announcement.
Editors Note: One of our team needed to tax their vehicle and visited the Girne tax office and was informed by an English speaking official that they were awaiting full instructions regarding the change and suggested that the vehicle be taxed for just 6 months rather than one year which our team member did.
Bayram Holidays
Other than Monday 1st of May there is only one other public holiday this month which is the 19th of May. This is to commemorate the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence and the liberation of Anatolia and Istanbul by Atatürk. Ceremonies are held all over Turkey and North Cyprus with the main focal point being military and civilian officials attending a ceremony at Anitkabir, which is the location of Atatürk’s mausoleum in Ankara.
On this day Government offices, local Government offices and Banks will be closed for the day
For any further information please email me through the contact box below.
Why are people so obsessed with letting people know, what they are doing, when they are doing it, where they are doing it, and even how long they are away from their home?
You may have read recently about the Chelsea football player John Terry who did exactly that and his home, whilst away, was burgled and he had several precious items of jewellery stolen from his home.Click here
If you are telling your friends about your exploits, you are also telling people who steal from homes, and they can enter your home without much risk.
If you suffer burglary and use the internet to tell everybody that you have been away, your insurance company may refuse your compensation claim!!!
Road Tax Incorporated into the Price of Petrol
In last month’s News Round, I reported that road tax was to be abolished and incorporated into the price of petrol (click here) . Well it certainly caught the authorities on one leg. Rumour is still abounding and even the offices involved are still not sure whether it is going to happen or not. Some personnel are still issuing road tax for a maximum of six months because it is going to be implemented soon and some are reporting that it is not, due to the chip and pin system taking favour!! Watch this space for more news!
Mobile Phone Registration
If you need to register your mobile phone you can now register it from the offices in the new harbour (Yeni Liman) in Girne. The offices are located in the two-storey building on your left-hand side as you enter the harbour area.
Child Car Seats, Stair Gates, High Chairs and Portable Cots
It’s that time of the year again when your visitors with young children come and holiday here with you and you may/will require the use of any of the above equipment.
Dagli Sigorta in Karaoğlanoğlu have these items for hire at extremely favourable prices. All the equipment is thoroughly checked for safety, deodorised and machine washed before they are re-hired. Your pickup taxi may well offer these items for rental, but are usually extremely dirty and quite often smell of cigarette smoke.
Do you really want your favourite grandchildren seated/carried/ or sleeping in equipment that’s unfit for purpose, unsafe and/or unhealthy?
Bayram Holidays
There are no Bayram holidays this month.
For any further information please email me through the contact box below.
Not a day goes by here in the TRNC, when you do not see a car passing by with the driver talking on their mobile phone which they are holding to their ear.
Now are they in full control of the vehicle and considering the safety of other road users or pedestrians.
The answer is Nooooooooo and it’s about time these selfish people are reported or stopped by the police and punished for the crime they are committing. Can you imagine being stopped in the TRNC for using your mobile phone whilst driving and being fined around 940TL or worse still, having your phone confiscated for a defined period. Then perhaps the idiot brigade will start to act responsibly when driving their vehicles.
Just look what’s going on in the UK.
Birmingham Updates click here for the Facebook page
Yesterday 23.01.17 at 11:33
“From March 1st 2017 If you’re caught using a mobile phone behind the wheel, you will receive a £200 fine and 6 points on your licence.”
This is one of my most popular Cyprus videos that is posted on my global youtube channel.
Tuncer Bagiskan
It is my one hour Kyrenia documentary with my very dear friend retired Turkish Cypriot Archaeologist, Tuncer Bagiskan.
He knows more about Cyprus than anyone else on the entire island, and he is very well respected by everyone all around Cyprus.
The video was filmed on location on Oct 19, 2013 and some of the features we show are Kyrenia harbour, the tourist office, the Greek Church, The Mosque, The museum, and many other historical places.
Hello everyone. I am Chris Krzentz. I am a Cypriot American of Greek and Armenian descent, who likes to film videos all over Cyprus, and all around the world.
I am glad and honored to have joined this group of writers and contributors. I am the creator and administrator of the Cyprus Culture group on Facebook, and I have a global channel on youtube.
This introductory video was filmed on Bayrak TV, and it is the first time that someone interviewed me on camera. I am usually behind the camera interviewing others. Can Cazi the presenter of the show did an excellent job and the program is called “A Cup of Conversation”.
Thank you for reading this article and do watch out for more of my articles and videos coming to these pages very soon.
or exchanging them into local currency. You have only until September this year, to cash them in at banks in the UK. Old £10.00 notes are also being phased out later this year, so watch this space!!
front and rear number plates. This requirement is to become mandatory on all registered vehicles sometime soon. One or two people have already met the new requirement and have had them fitted.
speak to her and discuss your requirements which I am sure will meet your every need on the matter. The charge covers all the legal requirements and they are very professional and sympathetic.
thought into how it was to be introduced.
May. This is to commemorate the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence and the liberation of Anatolia and Istanbul by Atatürk. Ceremonies are held all over Turkey and North Cyprus with the main focal point being military and civilian officials attending a ceremony at Anitkabir, which is the location of Atatürk’s mausoleum in Ankara.
from their home?
ed and incorporated into the price of petrol (click here) . Well it certainly caught the authorities on one leg. Rumour is still abounding and even the offices involved are still not sure whether it is going to happen or not. Some personnel are still issuing road tax for a maximum of six months because it is going to be implemented soon and some are reporting that it is not, due to the chip and pin system taking favour!! Watch this space for more news!
film videos all over Cyprus, and all around the world.
By Kathy Martin……..